


Science Fiction

by NiwaEngland



Category: Preacher (TV)
Genre: 3x9, Attempted Assault, Cassidy comes to the rescue, Cussing, Fix-It of Sorts, Fluff and Angst, Grail Industries, Handcuffs, Herr Starr tries it on with Jesse, Jessidy, M/M, New Orleans, Preacher - Freeform, Schwanzkopf, Season 3, Spanking, Spoilers, The death of Jesse Custer's Ego, Vampires, non con
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-08
Updated: 2018-09-08
Packaged: 2019-07-03 07:32:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,791
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15814314
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NiwaEngland/pseuds/NiwaEngland
Summary: A mad rewrite of 3x9. Grail headquarters, New Orleans.“Why would you think-” Jesse’s head snapped back towards Starr. “Is he here?”“No.”Jesse’s dark eyes narrowed threateningly. “Does Cassidy know that I’m here?”“It’s not outside the realms of possibility."





	Science Fiction

“God damn it, Starr. You owe me my soul!” Jesse Custer cursed. Reaching out only to have Starr snatch his soul further away. The two of them standing admits the blood, the shit, guts and gore. “I’ve done as you asked. Now, if you don’t mind I’ve got a date to keep.”

“A date with the vampire?” Starr accused, standing back as the Massiah swiped at him like a petulant child. Thinking back to his less than friendly texting spree earlier. So he might have taken a few pictures of Jesse whilst he was being dragged and strapped to the gurney arguing with the All-Father. So he sent said pictures to the vampire through Agent Hoover’s phone. It was a backup plan to avoid Genesis ending up inside an idiot after all.

“Why the hell would I have a date with _Cassidy?_ " Jesse scoffed. "I meant Angelville. I’m going back to kill a mean old’ lady.” Belatedly Jesse blew a few bangs out of his eyes. Sparing a glance towards the two-way mirror he made a face as Humperdue licked enthusiastically at the glass. “Why would you even think-” Jesse’s head snapped back towards Starr. “Is _he_ here?”

“No.”

Jesse’s dark eyes narrowed threateningly. “Does Cassidy know that  _I’m_ here?”

“It’s not outside the realms of possibility,” Starr stated, thinning his lips into a straight line. “It matters not. Are you ready to accept your role as the true Massiah?”

“I am ready to accept my soul.”

“I can see that you still need convincing,” concluded Starr. “I cannot simply let you leave after assassinating the All-Farther.” Jesse merely frowned as Starr pulled a gun out, pointing it with purpose.

“You’re not gonna’ kill me, Starr.”

“No, but I can remove your kneecaps if necessary.” Not for a second did Starr trust that Jesse was any less dangerous handcuffed. If anything he was probably worse. 

As if on cue the door behind them rattled with a knock, Jesse tensed. Ready to fight, always ready. But what was he supposed to do? What the hell was he supposed to say? He didn’t want to see Cassidy, not when it had ended so badly before, again, and again.

Starr sighed. “Come in.”

Featherstone and Hoover entered, taking in the carnage. Utterly unfazed by the state of current affairs. “Sir,” Featherstone saluted, “I'm back. Do you require assistance?”

“No, but make yourself useful and guard the door.” Hoover moved to follow Featherstone.

“Not you,” Starr corrected. Re-examining the Preacher's glowing soul. “Go get me a desk.”

“Sir?”

“Now.”

Hoover jumped, altogether confused as he exited the room only to enter moments later dragging a large desk from the lobby behind him. Delighted with how physically easy it was to do so. Placing it where Starr stood Hoover hesitated. “Is that all?”

“No, take this and be careful. If he resists I want you to smash it.” Tucking his gun away Starr folded his hands behind his back. "Is that order comprehensible to you?"

“Yes sir,” Hoover nodded, knowing that Starr had forgotten his name, that he had never really bothered to learn it. Glancing uncertainly at the soul Hoover stole a peek at its owner. The Preacher staring straight back at him too. If looks could kill, he'd combust into flames. 

Moving back around Starr began to circle Jesse. A predatory and pleasing motion. “Once consumed by the atmosphere a soul is in a sense destroyed.”

Jesse stepped to his right, missing a gloop of entrails that dropped comically between them from above. "Well it's survived this long," he mused. Testing the waters. "In fact, I'm callin' your bluff, Starr. Genesis won't work without it and you wouldn't want to waste that kind of power. So," Jesse's voice dropped low. "Give it back.”

“On the contrary Massaiah, I need _you_. If you cannot be trusted with Genesis then I will simply remove the temptation.”

Jesse glowered, “you gave me your word!”

“Not until you embrace your destiny.”

“Destiny?" Jesse laughed. "I make my own, always have. Go on and get this through your head. I don't wanna be your God damned Massiah! The world doesn't have to end, you just really want it to.” Sighing, Jesse shrugged his shoulders.“That's just how it is Starr, get a new business model and move on already.”

“I can see the unhappy circle that we keep repeating. The one where you let sentimental attachment lead you astray and I let you leave. But not this time, what is needed is an entirely new perspective. My original orders were to kill you, but then sodomy proved to be surprisingly insightful. It made me re-evaluate my position and then finally _yours_." Taking a step forward Starr spoke again, "I want to help you see the light."

Jesse's dark eyes narrowed, reading Starr for any signs of a sense of humour. Not altogether thrilled with where the conversation was heading. Not quite believing the implication.  
“I rather doubt...” Jesse drawled, increasing his distance. “That I’m your type.”

Starr said nothing, closing the gap between them he anticipated the strike. Catching Jesse’s arm and spinning him around. Starr threw the Preacher forward across the desk. Slamming him down as he struggled and slipped to get back up. “This isn't gonna change my mind!” Jesse spat through clenched teeth. Breathing hard. 

“I'm putting you in your rightful place. _Beneath me_. The apocalypse _is_ coming. Accept your role in it or-”

“Get fucked? What the hell kinda logic is that?” Jesse rasped, his face crushed awkwardly against the wood. Starr took the advantage, kicking Jesse’s legs apart to prove his point.   
"Take this lesson as a leader and we will be able to put this whole mess behind us and move on.”

“Unlikely,” Jesse growled, disgusted as Starr held him down. Pressed too close. The sharp angle of the desk cut into him uncomfortably. A welcomed discomfort. The last person to have him in this position had been gentle, guiding. Rough in all the right places, patient and praising. Everything Herr Starr was not. As Starr pressed his body fully against his Jesse gagged, not entirely from the smell of blood and bile.

“Um sir,” Hoover interrupted awkwardly. His eyes wide. “I’m uh, not so sure that I want to watch this. Can I step outside?”

“Shut up,” Starr snapped, irritated. Interruptions did nothing for his mood. “Do as you please.” Not bothering to wait for Hoover to depart Starr leant his weight down, feeling Jesse’s body beneath his own. He buried his nose into Jesse’s neck and simply inhaled the scent. His eyes rolled back. “Forgive me Massiah, but I have imagined this scenario before.” Starr almost wished that he had a camera, just so he could catch the contrast between his brilliant white suit, crushed against the black that belonged only to Jesse Custer. Both sullied and stained beyond redemption. “Glorius,” he muttered.

"It's really not!" Jesse hissed, trying to throw Starr's weight off. “Get the hell offa’me or I swear I'll make you eat every god damned thing in this room, you piece of shit!”

Starr hummed, leaning one arm on Jesse’s back in mock contemplation. “Suddenly shy Messiah? But you’ve been in this position before,” he mused. “Willingly bent over, surrendering control, muttering profanities. I’ve read your file, I’ve watched you with the vampire.”

Jesse cursed, shutting his eyes with a groan. The one time he had let Cassidy have him over the couch in Dennis’s place and the whole world was fucking watching. “That’s different,” Jesse bit out, jerking and hissing as Starr reached around his middle, pulling at his belt. Coiling it free and letting the leather drop loudly to the floor. Jesse tried to kick out, entirely in the wrong position to do so. He tried to twist, to even wriggle away, his outstretched, cuffed hands grasping uselessly at the air. “For Christ's sake. Stop!” Jesse tried, his Southern voice strained and treacherously tight.

As Starr’s fingers curled at his waistband Jesse threw his head back into Starr’s face, a last-ditch effort. Herr Starr saw stars. Blood gushing freely from his newly broken nose. “It’s the hard way then,” Starr snarled. Slamming Jesse’s head down on to the desk with a resounding crack. Only to repeat the action over and over again.

Chaos erupted in the lobby outside, voices, demands, gunfire. With a familiar accented voice barking orders behind it, the doors burst opened. Jesse’s breath hitched, he grappled through dizziness to get a look.

There stood Cassidy, blue eyes blazing. Surprisingly put together. _Smartly_ dressed. Both arms out breached against the double doors. With one look at the scene, his expression turned murderous. “Startin' the party without me then ah? One minute yer sending me pictures of Jesse strapped to a science fiction machine and now you’ve got him handcuffed over a desk? That's my idea of a perfect Friday night is what that is.”

“Shut up Cass!” Jesse hissed from beneath Starr. “This is hardly the time.”

“No Parde, you better shut up. Or I'll just be walkin' meself right back out these doors.” Cassidy smiled, not at all serious as his cult club chased about the guards behind him Scooby Doo style. Fake fangs in, bellowing and whooping madly, capes aflutter.

“I’m here to save yer sorry, undeservin', _selfish_ arse. Yer welcome by the way.”

“Fuck you. I was doing just fine on my own!” Jesse lied, flushing bright red.

“Oh, yeah, course. I can see that' aye. Well done Jess." Cassidy mocked, positively scandalized, his Irish lit strengthening. “And here I was, the eejit worrying bout' what the Grail was doing to yer. Nothin' you can't handle apparently." Still straining and struggling beneath Starr Jesse closed his eyes. Humiliated. "What the hell do you want from me, Cassidy? A fuckin' apology?"

"That'd be a _start_. But there's nothin' wrong with needin' a bit of help now and then. Especially when you're about ta get fuc-"

“I hate to interrupt,” said Starr. Feeling as though his presence was not at all respected. “But this is important business.”

“Ooooh, business is it?” Cassidy asked. Throwing up his hands. “That what it is uh? Cause’ your hand’s location suggests otherwise.” Flashing a leery look Cassidy jeered. "He doesn't seem ta' be so into it thou'. Seems rather _non-consensual_ actually. That' not a bit of a problem?"

“This doesn't concern you any more. Why care about Custer anymore? He was leaving you behind before, the sensible decision. And you," Starr pushed. "You left him behind, in that _place_. It's done. Consider my interest in you terminated. You may return to the gutter. A free man.”

Cassidy snorted, "tis' true that Jesse makes some proper _shite'_  decisions. So do I," looking pointedly at Jesse Cassidy said the next words to him. "But we ain't done."

The sincerity of the statement eluded Starr, being an entirely practical if not a madman. Starr sneered instead, "how touching. Utterly foolish. Leave now or I will have you executed."

Cassidy rolled his eyes, he’d been hunted all over town. Now he was suddenly excused. Too little, too late. It was time to murder some missionaries. 

Starr stopped the action, smiling suddenly, inspired. "Or...if you'd like you could make yourself useful for once. Hold him down, perhaps even join in." Jesse couldn't help his intake of breath. That little traitorous stab of fear, of genuine doubt.

Cassidy caught it, his demeanor turned feral. “Get away from him now you filthy, freaky gob-shite. I'd _never_ hurt Jesse like that! Not in a million years!”

Stalking closer Cassidy fixed his long, tailored coat in a calm fashion. Wagging his finger at Starr. “Now I don’t know why yer want ta’ fuck Jesse, well actually I do cause everyone kinda _wants_ ta fuck Jesse. One way or another. But what I do know is that yer’ gonna be so sorry that you _tried_.”

Starr remained unmoved, even as his own people screamed in panic and pain outside. Sensing the tide shift against him again Starr pulled his gun and fired.

Cassidy dodged the bullets, closing the gap in an instant, a neat little trick he learned, courtesy of Eccaruis. Gripping Starr in a choking hold Cassidy flashed his fangs. “That boyo,” he gestured down towards Jesse, “is my boyo.” With one quick jerk, he sent Starr flying, crashing into a hideous heap against the two-way mirror. Falling face down in the All-Fathers big old bucket of sick.

Jesse huffed, trying to shift himself backwards and up off the desk. Pitching violently forward as Cassidy’s hand very definitely slapped his ass. Once, twice and then a third time. Each more powerful than the last. The handcuffs made a loud metallic, hideously embarrassing sound and Jesse felt his ego die a death.

“That’ there is for all the utter shite’ that you’ve put me through.”

Before Jesse could comment Cassidy let out a laugh, the vampire's arms snaking around him and righting him to his feet. “Cass my trousers!” Jesse warned, straining against the desk to hold onto his remaining dignity. His hands trapped tightly and uselessly between them.

“I gotcha’ Padre, don’t cha worry bout' a thing.” With ease Cassidy scooped Jesse up into his arms, holding the Preacher like a Princess. Which thrilled him to no end.

“I can walk! Wait!” Jesse gaped, horrified as Cassidy began to march them away. “What about my soul?”

“Relax,” Cassidy hopped over something that looked like a pancake. Or what had perhaps been a pancreas. “I have it, took it right off that bloke I turned earlier.”

Straining to look up at Cassidy Jesse snapped, “what?”

“It’s in my pocket. It’s safe like.”

“Then give it back!”

Noting that the others had taken the stairs to escape Cassidy elbowed the elevator button. Being overly dramatic in doing so. “Jesse, we need ta talk and I don’t mean bout' our feelings neither. Back in the Tombs -”

“I told you that you would hate me,” Jesse said is his defence. Making a half-hearted attempt to break free. “You didn’t believe me. That's that. Now let me go.” Cassidy's hold, if anything tightened. His mouth moving yet unable to form any words. The elevator binged and the doors slid open. Cassidy stepped inside, careful not to bump Jesse as he did so. “I don’t hate yer Jess, I just miss what we had in the beginning like. Before all the bollocks.”

The elevator doors shut and the feeling of privacy settled them both. “You know me,” Cassidy stated, his eyes fixed on the doors. Ignoring how red the blood on Jesse looked, none of it his. But proving a temptation all the same. Banishing the thought Cassidy continued to hold Jesse up, cradling him closer than he needed to. “I’ve been sad like. Since I left...the way I left.”

“You had to leave. It saved your life and ours.”

“Doesn't mean that I don’t feel like a right bastard bout’ it. Or that I fully forgive you for beatin’ seven layers of shite outta me.” Cassidy sighed, utterly resigned to his fate. His stupid, sentimental attachment. "I like yer," he mumbled. Leaning to rest against the wall behind he met Jesse’s eyes with a lack of confidence. Both just as stubborn and hurt as the other. “I know you need ta be off, fightin’ the world an' all. But stay with me tonight.”

Lifting his handcuffed wrists Jesse gave a look. “Gee Cass, do I have a choice?”

Cassidy shot Jesse the same incredulous look back. “Yer’ve already stolen your soul right outta’ my pocket, swallow it and you can command me ta' put yer pretty self down.”

Smiling knowingly Jesse fiddled with his sleeve, producing the vial with his soul. He took it like he was downing a shot. Then looked up and just stared at Cassidy, his dark eyes filling with something the vampire couldn't name. Couldn't quite place. Something that gave him hope, something that said that they were going to be ok. “Maybe I never made this clear before. But you’re one of us, Cassidy. Till' the end of the world.” Hooking his arms over Cass’s head Jesse moved in close. "There, I said it." Then Jesse crashed their lips together.

By the time the elevator binged open on the ground floor, Jesse Custer had lost his trousers entirely. Cassidy cackled at the gasps, stares and array of reactions from the unsuspecting people in the public lobby. Shielding Jesse from view he swiped his hand over the elevator buttons. Selecting just about every floor. Not caring about the inevitable shit show the escapade would bring down upon them. Everyone else could take the fucking stairs.


End file.
